Techniques for inlet color adjustment for improved signal quality

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for forming a wearable device are described. An inner housing of the wearable device may include a segment of a first material, which may have one or more properties which may enhance the signal quality associated with optical signals transmitted and received by the wearable device. For example, the segment of the first material may have a first reflectance greater than that of the rest of the inner housing, which may affect one or more characteristics of the optical signals. The segment may be positioned based on the location of optoelectronic components of the wearable device, and the rest of the inner housing may have a color or material matching that of the outer housing of the wearable device.

Description

TECHNIQUES FOR INLET COLOR ADJUSTMENT FOR IMPROVED SIGNAL QUALITYCROSS REFERENCE

[0001] The present Application for Patent claims the benefit of U.S. PatentApplication No. 19 / 251,437 by Aarras et al., entitled “TECHNIQUES FOR INLET COLOR ADJUSTMENT FOR IMPROVED SIGNAL QUALITY,” filed June 26, 2025, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 666,495 by Aarras et al., entitled “TECHNIQUES FOR INLET COLOR ADJUSTMENT FOR IMPROVED SIGNAL QUALITY,” filed July 1, 2024, assigned to the assignee hereof, and expressly incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

[0002] The following relates to wearable devices and data processing, including an inlet design for improved signal quality.BACKGROUND

[0003] Some wearable devices may be configured to collect physiological data from a user by transmitting and receiving optical signals through the skin of the user. In such cases, different wearable devices may be manufactured in different colors (e.g., finishes, materials) so that the user may select a desired color. However, different colors may result in different impacts to the optical signals, such that different wearable devices may be associated with different measurement qualities (e.g., accuracy) of the physiological data or may require different calibration processes based on a color of the wearable device.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a system that supports an inlet design for improved signal quality in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0005] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a system that supports an inlet design for improved signal quality in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0006] FIGs. 3 A, 3B, and 4 show an example of wearable device diagrams that support an inlet design for improved signal quality in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0007] FIGs. 5A through 5C show examples of signal strength diagrams that support an inlet design for improved signal quality in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 6 shows a flowchart illustrating methods that support an inlet design for improved signal quality in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] A wearable device may collect physiological data from a user by transmitting, via one or more emitters (e.g., light emitting diode (LEDs), light emitters), optical signals into the skin of the user and measuring characteristics of the reflected optical signals using one or more detectors (e.g., photodetectors (PDs), light detectors). In some cases, the light output by the wearable device (e.g., via the one or more emitters) may reflect off of the inner housing of the wearable device before or after entering a tissue of the user. Additionally, in such cases, a color (e.g., finish) or material of the inner housing may affect characteristics of the reflected light due to the reflection off of the inner housing. For example, some colors or materials may distort the light signal spectrum or intensity while other colors or materials may enhance the light signal spectrum or intensity when reflected off of the inner housing, which may affect measurements collected by the one or more detectors. That is, for a same optical signal transmitted into the skin of the user, different colors or materials of the inner housing may result in different measurements collected by the one or more detectors due to differences in the reflected optical signals based on the color or material of the inner housing. Thus, different wearable devices may be associated with different measurement qualities (e.g., accuracy) of the physiological data due to the differences in the reflected optical signals based on the color or material of the inner housing. Additionally, or alternatively, different wearable devices may require different calibrations of one or more sensors (e.g., a combination of one or more LEDs, one or more PDs, control electronics, and readout firmware), due to the differences in thereflected optical signals based on the color or material of the inner housing, which may result in increased manufacturing complexity.

[0010] In accordance with examples as described herein, an inner housing of a wearable device may include a segment made of (e.g., or finished with) a first material, where the first material of the segment may be associated with a higher reflectance (e.g., as compared to the rest of the inner housing of the wearable device) to enhance signal quality and reduce power consumption. In such cases, the segment may be positioned based on a location of one or more optoelectronic components (e.g., one or more detectors, one or more transmitters) of the wearable device, allowing the rest of the inner housing to have a color or material matching that of the outer housing of the wearable device, for example. In some examples, the first material may be associated with one or more properties which may enhance the signal quality associated with the one or more optical signals. For example, the segment of the first material may have a reflectance greater than that of the rest of the inner housing (e.g., than a second material), which may affect one or more characteristics of the one or more optical signals (e.g., improved signal strength, wavelength selectivity). Accordingly, the wearable device may experience improved signal quality, which may enhance measurements collected by the wearable device and reduce power consumption associated with the transmission of the optical signals.

[0011] Aspects of the disclosure are initially described in the context of systems supporting physiological data collection from users via wearable devices. Aspects of the disclosure are additionally described in the context of wearable device diagrams and signal strength diagrams. Aspects of the disclosure are further illustrated by and described with reference to apparatus diagrams, system diagrams, and flowcharts that relate to an inlet design for improved signal quality.

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a system 100 that supports an inlet design for improved signal quality in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The system 100 includes a plurality of electronic devices (e.g., wearable devices 104, user devices 106) that may be worn and / or operated by one or more users 102. The system 100 further includes a network 108 and one or more servers 110.

[0013] The electronic devices may include any electronic devices known in the art, including wearable devices 104 (e.g., ring wearable devices, watch wearable devices, etc.), user devices 106 (e.g., smartphones, laptops, tablets). The electronic devices associated with the respective users 102 may include one or more of the following functionalities: 1) measuring physiological data, 2) storing the measured data, 3) processing the data, 4) providing outputs (e.g., via GUIs) to a user 102 based on the processed data, and 5) communicating data with one another and / or other computing devices. Different electronic devices may perform one or more of the functionalities.

[0014] Example wearable devices 104 may include wearable computing devices, such as a ring computing device (hereinafter “ring”) configured to be worn on a user’s 102 finger, a wrist computing device (e.g., a smart watch, fitness band, or bracelet) configured to be worn on a user’s 102 wrist, and / or a head mounted computing device (e.g., glasses / goggles). Wearable devices 104 may also include bands, straps (e.g., flexible or inflexible bands or straps), stick-on sensors, and the like, that may be positioned in other locations, such as bands around the head (e.g., a forehead headband), arm (e.g., a forearm band and / or bicep band), and / or leg (e.g., a thigh or calf band), behind the ear, under the armpit, and the like. Wearable devices 104 may also be attached to, or included in, articles of clothing. For example, wearable devices 104 may be included in pockets and / or pouches on clothing. As another example, wearable device 104 may be clipped and / or pinned to clothing, or may otherwise be maintained within the vicinity of the user 102. Example articles of clothing may include, but are not limited to, hats, shirts, gloves, pants, socks, outerwear (e.g., jackets), and undergarments. In some implementations, wearable devices 104 may be included with other types of devices such as training / sporting devices that are used during physical activity. For example, wearable devices 104 may be attached to, or included in, a bicycle, skis, a tennis racket, a golf club, and / or training weights.

[0015] Much of the present disclosure may be described in the context of a ring wearable device 104. Accordingly, the terms “ring 104,” “wearable device 104,” and like terms, may be used interchangeably, unless noted otherwise herein. However, the use of the term “ring 104” is not to be regarded as limiting, as it is contemplated herein that aspects of the present disclosure may be performed using other wearable devices(e.g., watch wearable devices, necklace wearable device, bracelet wearable devices, earring wearable devices, anklet wearable devices, and the like).

[0016] In some aspects, user devices 106 may include handheld mobile computing devices, such as smartphones and tablet computing devices. User devices 106 may also include personal computers, such as laptop and desktop computing devices. Other example user devices 106 may include server computing devices that may communicate with other electronic devices (e.g., via the Internet). In some implementations, computing devices may include medical devices, such as external wearable computing devices (e.g., Holter monitors). Medical devices may also include implantable medical devices, such as pacemakers and cardioverter defibrillators. Other example user devices 106 may include home computing devices, such as internet of things (loT) devices (e.g., loT devices), smart televisions, smart speakers, smart displays (e.g., video call displays), hubs (e.g., wireless communication hubs), security systems, smart appliances (e.g., thermostats and refrigerators), and fitness equipment.

[0017] Some electronic devices (e.g., wearable devices 104, user devices 106) may measure physiological parameters of respective users 102, such as photoplethysmography waveforms, continuous skin temperature, a pulse waveform, respiration rate, heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), actigraphy, galvanic skin response, pulse oximetry, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), blood sugar levels (e.g., glucose metrics), and / or other physiological parameters. Some electronic devices that measure physiological parameters may also perform some / all of the calculations described herein. Some electronic devices may not measure physiological parameters, but may perform some / all of the calculations described herein. For example, a ring (e.g., wearable device 104), mobile device application, or a server computing device may process received physiological data that was measured by other devices.

[0018] In some implementations, a user 102 may operate, or may be associated with, multiple electronic devices, some of which may measure physiological parameters and some of which may process the measured physiological parameters. In some implementations, a user 102 may have a ring (e.g., wearable device 104) that measures physiological parameters. The user 102 may also have, or be associated with, a user device 106 (e.g., mobile device, smartphone), where the wearable device 104 and the user device 106 are communicatively coupled to one another. In some cases, the userdevice 106 may receive data from the wearable device 104 and perform some / all of the calculations described herein. In some implementations, the user device 106 may also measure physiological parameters described herein, such as motion / activity parameters.

[0019] For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a first user 102-a (User 1) may operate, or may be associated with, a wearable device 104-a (e.g., ring 104-a) and a user device 106-a that may operate as described herein. In this example, the user device 106-a associated with user 102-a may process / store physiological parameters measured by the ring 104-a. Comparatively, a second user 102-b (User 2) may be associated with a ring 104-b, a watch wearable device 104-c (e.g., watch 104-c), and a user device 106-b, where the user device 106-b associated with user 102-b may process / store physiological parameters measured by the ring 104-b and / or the watch 104-c. Moreover, an nth user 102-n (User N) may be associated with an arrangement of electronic devices described herein (e.g., ring 104-n, user device 106-n). In some aspects, wearable devices 104 (e.g., rings 104, watches 104) and other electronic devices may be communicatively coupled to the user devices 106 of the respective users 102 via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and other wireless protocols. Moreover, in some cases, the wearable device 104 and the user device 106 may be included within (or make up) the same device. For example, in some cases, the wearable device 104 may be configured to execute an application associated with the wearable device 104, and may be configured to display data via a GUI.

[0020] In some implementations, the rings 104 (e.g., wearable devices 104) of the system 100 may be configured to collect physiological data from the respective users 102 based on arterial blood flow within the user’s finger. In particular, a ring 104 may utilize one or more light-emitting components, such as LEDs (e.g., red LEDs, green LEDs) that emit light on the palm-side of a user’s finger to collect physiological data based on arterial blood flow within the user’s finger. In general, the terms light-emitting components, light-emitting elements, and like terms, may include, but are not limited to, LEDs, micro LEDs, mini LEDs, laser diodes (LDs) (e.g., vertical cavity surfaceemitting lasers (VCSELs), and the like.

[0021] In some cases, the system 100 may be configured to collect physiological data from the respective users 102 based on blood flow diffused into a microvascular bed of skin with capillaries and arterioles. For example, the system 100 may collect PPG data based on a measured amount of blood diffused into the microvascular systemof capillaries and arterioles. In some implementations, the ring 104 may acquire the physiological data using a combination of both green and red LEDs. The physiological data may include any physiological data known in the art including, but not limited to, temperature data, accelerometer data (e.g., movement / motion data), heart rate data, HRV data, blood oxygen level data, or any combination thereof.

[0022] The use of both green and red LEDs may provide several advantages over other solutions, as red and green LEDs have been found to have their own distinct advantages when acquiring physiological data under different conditions (e.g., light / dark, active / inactive) and via different parts of the body, and the like. For example, green LEDs have been found to exhibit better performance during exercise. Moreover, using multiple LEDs (e.g., green and red LEDs) distributed around the ring 104 has been found to exhibit superior performance as compared to wearable devices that utilize LEDs that are positioned close to one another, such as within a watch wearable device. Furthermore, the blood vessels in the finger (e.g., arteries, capillaries) are more accessible via LEDs as compared to blood vessels in the wrist. In particular, arteries in the wrist are positioned on the bottom of the wrist (e.g., palm-side of the wrist), meaning only capillaries are accessible on the top of the wrist (e.g., back of hand side of the wrist), where wearable watch devices and similar devices are typically worn. As such, utilizing LEDs and other sensors within a ring 104 has been found to exhibit superior performance as compared to wearable devices worn on the wrist, as the ring 104 may have greater access to arteries (as compared to capillaries), thereby resulting in stronger signals and more valuable physiological data.

[0023] The electronic devices of the system 100 (e.g., user devices 106, wearable devices 104) may be communicatively coupled to one or more servers 110 via wired or wireless communication protocols. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the electronic devices (e.g., user devices 106) may be communicatively coupled to one or more servers 110 via a network 108. The network 108 may implement transfer control protocol and internet protocol (TCP / IP), such as the Internet, or may implement other network 108 protocols. Network connections between the network 108 and the respective electronic devices may facilitate transport of data via email, web, text messages, mail, or any other appropriate form of interaction within a computer network 108. For example, in some implementations, the ring 104-a associated with the first user102-a may be communicatively coupled to the user device 106-a, where the user device 106-a is communicatively coupled to the servers 110 via the network 108. In additional or alternative cases, wearable devices 104 (e.g., rings 104, watches 104) may be directly communicatively coupled to the network 108.

[0024] The system 100 may offer an on-demand database service between the user devices 106 and the one or more servers 110. In some cases, the servers 110 may receive data from the user devices 106 via the network 108, and may store and analyze the data. Similarly, the servers 110 may provide data to the user devices 106 via the network 108. In some cases, the servers 110 may be located at one or more data centers. The servers 110 may be used for data storage, management, and processing. In some implementations, the servers 110 may provide a web-based interface to the user device 106 via web browsers.

[0025] In some aspects, the system 100 may detect periods of time that a user 102 is asleep, and classify periods of time that the user 102 is asleep into one or more sleep stages (e.g., sleep stage classification). For example, as shown in FIG. 1, User 102-a may be associated with a wearable device 104-a (e.g., ring 104-a) and a user device 106-a. In this example, the ring 104-a may collect physiological data associated with the user 102-a, including temperature, heart rate, HRV, respiratory rate, and the like. In some aspects, data collected by the ring 104-a may be input to a machine learning classifier, where the machine learning classifier is configured to determine periods of time that the user 102-a is (or was) asleep. Moreover, the machine learning classifier may be configured to classify periods of time into different sleep stages, including an awake sleep stage, a rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stage, a light sleep stage (non- REM (NREM)), and a deep sleep stage (NREM). In some aspects, the classified sleep stages may be displayed to the user 102-a via a GUI of the user device 106-a. Sleep stage classification may be used to provide feedback to a user 102-a regarding the user’s sleeping patterns, such as recommended bedtimes, recommended wake-up times, and the like. Moreover, in some implementations, sleep stage classification techniques described herein may be used to calculate scores for the respective user, such as Sleep Scores, Readiness Scores, and the like.

[0026] In some aspects, the system 100 may utilize circadian rhythm-derived features to further improve physiological data collection, data processing procedures,and other techniques described herein. The term circadian rhythm may refer to a natural, internal process that regulates an individual’s sleep-wake cycle, that repeats approximately every 24 hours. In this regard, techniques described herein may utilize circadian rhythm adjustment models to improve physiological data collection, analysis, and data processing. For example, a circadian rhythm adjustment model may be input into a machine learning classifier along with physiological data collected from the user 102-a via the wearable device 104-a. In this example, the circadian rhythm adjustment model may be configured to “weight,” or adjust, physiological data collected throughout a user’s natural, approximately 24-hour circadian rhythm. In some implementations, the system may initially start with a “baseline” circadian rhythm adjustment model, and may modify the baseline model using physiological data collected from each user 102 to generate tailored, individualized circadian rhythm adjustment models that are specific to each respective user 102.

[0027] In some aspects, the system 100 may utilize other biological rhythms to further improve physiological data collection, analysis, and processing by phase of these other rhythms. For example, if a weekly rhythm is detected within an individual’s baseline data, then the model may be configured to adjust “weights” of data by day of the week. Biological rhythms that may require adjustment to the model by this method include: 1) ultradian (faster than a day rhythms, including sleep cycles in a sleep state, and oscillations from less than an hour to several hours periodicity in the measured physiological variables during wake state; 2) circadian rhythms; 3) non-endogenous daily rhythms shown to be imposed on top of circadian rhythms, as in work schedules; 4) weekly rhythms, or other artificial time periodicities exogenously imposed (e.g., in a hypothetical culture with 12 day “weeks,” 12 day rhythms could be used); 5) multi -day ovarian rhythms in women and spermatogenesis rhythms in men; 6) lunar rhythms (relevant for individuals living with low or no artificial lights); and 7) seasonal rhythms.

[0028] The biological rhythms are not always stationary rhythms. For example, many women experience variability in ovarian cycle length across cycles, and ultradian rhythms are not expected to occur at exactly the same time or periodicity across days even within a user. As such, signal processing techniques sufficient to quantify the frequency composition while preserving temporal resolution of these rhythms in physiological data may be used to improve detection of these rhythms, to assign phaseof each rhythm to each moment in time measured, and to thereby modify adjustment models and comparisons of time intervals. The biological rhythm-adjustment models and parameters can be added in linear or non-linear combinations as appropriate to more accurately capture the dynamic physiological baselines of an individual or group of individuals.

[0029] In accordance with examples as described herein, an inner housing of a wearable device 104 may include a segment made of (e.g., or coated with) a material configured to enhance a signal quality associated with light collected via one or more sensors (e.g., optoelectronic components) of the wearable device 104. For example, the segment may be made of a metal material having a relatively high reflectance (e.g., relative to another material of the inner housing), which may affect one or more characteristics of the reflected light (e.g., improved signal strength, wavelength selectivity).

[0030] In some examples, the inner housing of the wearable device 104 may include a first layer made of a first material (e.g., titanium), where the first layer spans the entire inner circumference of the inner housing. In such cases, the segment may be formed by coating the first material (e.g., used to form the first layer) with a second material and removing (e.g., etching away, diamond cutting, grinding) the second material from the segment to expose the first material in the segment. In some other cases, the segment may be formed by applying a mask (e.g., covering, masking) to the segment during the coating, such that the mask may be removed after coating, exposing the first material in the segment. Additionally, in some cases, the first material may be polished in the segment, such that the first material may be associated with a higher reflectance than the second material (e.g., coating the rest of the inner housing). In some other cases, the segment may be coated with a third material, where the third material is associated with a higher reflectance than the second material. In such cases, the third material may be associated with one or more other properties that may enhance optical signals transmitted by the wireless device 104. Thus, the segment may improve the signal quality of optical signals transmitted and received by the wearable device 104, and thereby enhance physiological measurements collected by the wearable device 104 from users 102.

[0031] In some examples the segment may be common among wearable devices 104 of varying colors and materials (e.g., the segment may be the same among wearable devices 104 regardless of a color or material of the rest of the inner housing), which may enable one or more sensors (e.g., sensors system including the one or more optoelectronic components (e.g., one or more LEDs, one or more PDs, or both), one or more control electronics, and readout firmware) to be calibrated according to a same calibration process regardless of the color or material of the rest of the inner housing. In other words, drive and readout parameters associated with at least a subset of the one or more optoelectronic components (e.g., LEDs, PDs) may be adjusted in a same way (e.g., according to a same process, using a same set of parameters, or both) for different wearable devices 104 regardless of the color or material of the rest of the inner housing of the different wearable devices 104 based on the different wearable devices 104 having the same segment (e.g., a segment of the same material). In some other cases, the segment may not be common among wearable devices 104 of varying colors and materials. For example, a material of the segment, a position of the segment, a size of the segment, or any combination thereof, may be different for different wearable devices 104 associated with different colors or materials of the rest of the inner housing, the outer housing, or both (e.g., and / or associated with different sizes). 2.

[0032] It should be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that one or more aspects of the disclosure may be implemented in a system 100 to additionally or alternatively solve other problems than those described above. Furthermore, aspects of the disclosure may provide technical improvements to “conventional” systems or processes as described herein. However, the description and appended drawings only include example technical improvements resulting from implementing aspects of the disclosure, and accordingly do not represent all of the technical improvements provided within the scope of the claims.

[0033] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a system 200 that supports an inlet design for improved signal quality in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The system 200 may implement, or be implemented by, system 100. In particular, system 200 illustrates an example of a ring 104 (e.g., wearable device 104), a user device 106, and a server 110, as described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0034] In some aspects, the ring 104 may be configured to be worn around a user’s finger, and may determine one or more user physiological parameters when worn around the user’s finger. Example measurements and determinations may include, but are not limited to, user skin temperature, pulse waveforms, respiratory rate, heart rate, HRV, blood oxygen levels (SpO2), blood sugar levels (e.g., glucose metrics), and the like.

[0035] The system 200 further includes a user device 106 (e.g., a smartphone) in communication with the ring 104. For example, the ring 104 may be in wireless and / or wired communication with the user device 106. In some implementations, the ring 104 may send measured and processed data (e.g., temperature data, photoplethysmogram (PPG) data, motion / accelerometer data, ring input data, and the like) to the user device 106. The user device 106 may also send data to the ring 104, such as ring 104 firmware / configuration updates. The user device 106 may process data. In some implementations, the user device 106 may transmit data to the server 110 for processing and / or storage.

[0036] The ring 104 may include a housing 205 that may include an inner housing 205-a and an outer housing 205-b. In some aspects, the housing 205 of the ring 104 may store or otherwise include various components of the ring including, but not limited to, device electronics, a power source (e.g., battery 210, and / or capacitor), one or more substrates (e.g., printable circuit boards) that interconnect the device electronics and / or power source, and the like. The device electronics may include device modules (e.g., hardware / software), such as: a processing module 230-a, a memory 215, a communication module 220-a, a power module 225, and the like. The device electronics may also include one or more sensors. Example sensors may include one or more temperature sensors 240, a PPG sensor assembly (e.g., PPG system 235), and one or more motion sensors 245.

[0037] The sensors may include associated modules (not illustrated) configured to communicate with the respective components / modules of the ring 104, and generate signals associated with the respective sensors. In some aspects, each of the components / modules of the ring 104 may be communicatively coupled to one another via wired or wireless connections. Moreover, the ring 104 may include additional and / oralternative sensors or other components that are configured to collect physiological data from the user, including light sensors (e.g., LEDs), oximeters, and the like.

[0038] The ring 104 shown and described with reference to FIG. 2 is provided solely for illustrative purposes. As such, the ring 104 may include additional or alternative components as those illustrated in FIG. 2. Other rings 104 that provide functionality described herein may be fabricated. For example, rings 104 with fewer components (e.g., sensors) may be fabricated. In a specific example, a ring 104 with a single temperature sensor 240 (or other sensor), a power source, and device electronics configured to read the single temperature sensor 240 (or other sensor) may be fabricated. In another specific example, a temperature sensor 240 (or other sensor) may be attached to a user’s finger (e.g., using adhesives, wraps, clamps, spring loaded clamps, etc.). In this case, the sensor may be wired to another computing device, such as a wrist worn computing device that reads the temperature sensor 240 (or other sensor). In other examples, a ring 104 that includes additional sensors and processing functionality may be fabricated.

[0039] The housing 205 may include one or more housing 205 components. The housing 205 may include an outer housing 205-b component (e.g., a shell) and an inner housing 205-a component (e.g., a molding). The housing 205 may include additional components (e.g., additional layers) not explicitly illustrated in FIG. 2. For example, in some implementations, the ring 104 may include one or more insulating layers that electrically insulate the device electronics and other conductive materials (e.g., electrical traces) from the outer housing 205-b (e.g., a metal outer housing 205-b). The housing 205 may provide structural support for the device electronics, battery 210, substrate(s), and other components. For example, the housing 205 may protect the device electronics, battery 210, and substrate(s) from mechanical forces, such as pressure and impacts. The housing 205 may also protect the device electronics, battery 210, and substrate(s) from water and / or other chemicals.

[0040] The outer housing 205-b may be fabricated from one or more materials. In some implementations, the outer housing 205-b may include a metal, such as titanium, that may provide strength and abrasion resistance at a relatively light weight. The outer housing 205-b may also be fabricated from other materials, such polymers. In some implementations, the outer housing 205-b may be protective as well as decorative.

[0041] The inner housing 205-a may be configured to interface with the user’s finger. The inner housing 205-a may be formed from a polymer (e.g., a medical grade polymer) or other material. In some implementations, the inner housing 205-a may be transparent. For example, the inner housing 205-a may be transparent to light emitted by the PPG light emitting diodes (LEDs). In some implementations, the inner housing 205- a component may be molded onto the outer housing 205-b. For example, the inner housing 205-a may include a polymer that is molded (e.g., injection molded) to fit into an outer housing 205-b metallic shell.

[0042] The ring 104 may include one or more substrates (not illustrated). The device electronics and battery 210 may be included on the one or more substrates. For example, the device electronics and battery 210 may be mounted on one or more substrates. Example substrates may include one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs), such as flexible PCB (e.g., polyimide). In some implementations, the electronics / battery 210 may include surface mounted devices (e.g., surface-mount technology (SMT) devices) on a flexible PCB. In some implementations, the one or more substrates (e.g., one or more flexible PCBs) may include electrical traces that provide electrical communication between device electronics. The electrical traces may also connect the battery 210 to the device electronics.

[0043] The device electronics, battery 210, and substrates may be arranged in the ring 104 in a variety of ways. In some implementations, one substrate that includes device electronics may be mounted along the bottom of the ring 104 (e.g., the bottom half), such that the sensors (e.g., PPG system 235, temperature sensors 240, motion sensors 245, and other sensors) interface with the underside of the user’s finger. In these implementations, the battery 210 may be included along the top portion of the ring 104 (e.g., on another substrate).

[0044] The various components / modules of the ring 104 represent functionality (e.g., circuits and other components) that may be included in the ring 104. Modules may include any discrete and / or integrated electronic circuit components that implement analog and / or digital circuits capable of producing the functions attributed to the modules herein. For example, the modules may include analog circuits (e.g., amplification circuits, filtering circuits, analog / digital conversion circuits, and / or othersignal conditioning circuits). The modules may also include digital circuits (e.g., combinational or sequential logic circuits, memory circuits etc.).

[0045] The memory 215 (memory module) of the ring 104 may include any volatile, non-volatile, magnetic, or electrical media, such as a random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), non-volatile RAM (NVRAM), electrically-erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, or any other memory device. The memory 215 may store any of the data described herein. For example, the memory 215 may be configured to store data (e.g., motion data, temperature data, PPG data) collected by the respective sensors and PPG system 235. Furthermore, memory 215 may include instructions that, when executed by one or more processing circuits, cause the modules to perform various functions attributed to the modules herein. The device electronics of the ring 104 described herein are only example device electronics. As such, the types of electronic components used to implement the device electronics may vary based on design considerations.

[0046] The functions attributed to the modules of the ring 104 described herein may be embodied as one or more processors, hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. Depiction of different features as modules is intended to highlight different functional aspects and does not necessarily imply that such modules must be realized by separate hardware / software components. Rather, functionality associated with one or more modules may be performed by separate hardware / software components or integrated within common hardware / software components.

[0047] The processing module 230-a of the ring 104 may include one or more processors (e.g., processing units), microcontrollers, digital signal processors, systems on a chip (SOCs), and / or other processing devices. The processing module 230-a communicates with the modules included in the ring 104. For example, the processing module 230-a may transmit / receive data to / from the modules and other components of the ring 104, such as the sensors. As described herein, the modules may be implemented by various circuit components. Accordingly, the modules may also be referred to as circuits (e.g., a communication circuit and power circuit).

[0048] The processing module 230-a may communicate with the memory 215. The memory 215 may include computer-readable instructions that, when executed by theprocessing module 230-a, cause the processing module 230-a to perform the various functions attributed to the processing module 230-a herein. In some implementations, the processing module 230-a (e.g., a microcontroller) may include additional features associated with other modules, such as communication functionality provided by the communication module 220-a (e.g., an integrated Bluetooth Low Energy transceiver) and / or additional onboard memory 215.

[0049] The communication module 220-a may include circuits that provide wireless and / or wired communication with the user device 106 (e.g., communication module 220-b of the user device 106). In some implementations, the communication modules 220-a, 220-b may include wireless communication circuits, such as Bluetooth circuits and / or Wi-Fi circuits. In some implementations, the communication modules 220-a, 220-b can include wired communication circuits, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) communication circuits. Using the communication module 220-a, the ring 104 and the user device 106 may be configured to communicate with each other. The processing module 230-a of the ring may be configured to transmit / receive data to / from the user device 106 via the communication module 220-a. Example data may include, but is not limited to, motion data, temperature data, pulse waveforms, heart rate data, HRV data, PPG data, and status updates (e.g., charging status, battery charge level, and / or ring 104 configuration settings). The processing module 230-a of the ring may also be configured to receive updates (e.g., software / firmware updates) and data from the user device 106.

[0050] The ring 104 may include a battery 210 (e.g., a rechargeable battery 210). An example battery 210 may include a Lithium-Ion or Lithium -Polymer type battery 210, although a variety of battery 210 options are possible. The battery 210 may be wirelessly charged. In some implementations, the ring 104 may include a power source other than the battery 210, such as a capacitor. The power source (e.g., battery 210 or capacitor) may have a curved geometry that matches the curve of the ring 104. In some aspects, a charger or other power source may include additional sensors that may be used to collect data in addition to, or that supplements, data collected by the ring 104 itself. Moreover, a charger or other power source for the ring 104 may function as a user device 106, in which case the charger or other power source for the ring 104 may be configured to receive data from the ring 104, store and / or process data received from the ring 104, and communicate data between the ring 104 and the servers 110.

[0051] In some aspects, the ring 104 includes a power module 225 that may control charging of the battery 210. For example, the power module 225 may interface with an external wireless charger that charges the battery 210 when interfaced with the ring 104. The charger may include a datum structure that mates with a ring 104 datum structure to create a specified orientation with the ring 104 during charging. The power module 225 may also regulate voltage(s) of the device electronics, regulate power output to the device electronics, and monitor the state of charge of the battery 210. In some implementations, the battery 210 may include a protection circuit module (PCM) that protects the battery 210 from high current discharge, over voltage during charging, and under voltage during discharge. The power module 225 may also include electro-static discharge (ESD) protection.

[0052] The one or more temperature sensors 240 may be electrically coupled to the processing module 230-a. The temperature sensor 240 may be configured to generate a temperature signal (e.g., temperature data) that indicates a temperature read or sensed by the temperature sensor 240. The processing module 230-a may determine a temperature of the user in the location of the temperature sensor 240. For example, in the ring 104, temperature data generated by the temperature sensor 240 may indicate a temperature of a user at the user’s finger (e.g., skin temperature). In some implementations, the temperature sensor 240 may contact the user’s skin. In other implementations, a portion of the housing 205 (e.g., the inner housing 205-a) may form a barrier (e.g., a thin, thermally conductive barrier) between the temperature sensor 240 and the user’s skin. In some implementations, portions of the ring 104 configured to contact the user’s finger may have thermally conductive portions and thermally insulative portions. The thermally conductive portions may conduct heat from the user’s finger to the temperature sensors 240. The thermally insulative portions may insulate portions of the ring 104 (e.g., the temperature sensor 240) from ambient temperature.

[0053] In some implementations, the temperature sensor 240 may generate a digital signal (e.g., temperature data) that the processing module 230-a may use to determine the temperature. As another example, in cases where the temperature sensor 240 includes a passive sensor, the processing module 230-a (or a temperature sensor 240 module) may measure a current / voltage generated by the temperature sensor 240 and determine the temperature based on the measured current / voltage. Example temperaturesensors 240 may include a thermistor, such as a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor, or other types of sensors including resistors, transistors, diodes, and / or other el ectri cal / el ectroni c components .

[0054] The processing module 230-a may sample the user’s temperature over time. For example, the processing module 230-a may sample the user’s temperature according to a sampling rate. An example sampling rate may include one sample per second, although the processing module 230-a may be configured to sample the temperature signal at other sampling rates that are higher or lower than one sample per second. In some implementations, the processing module 230-a may sample the user’s temperature continuously throughout the day and night. Sampling at a sufficient rate (e.g., one sample per second) throughout the day may provide sufficient temperature data for analysis described herein.

[0055] The processing module 230-a may store the sampled temperature data in memory 215. In some implementations, the processing module 230-a may process the sampled temperature data. For example, the processing module 230-a may determine average temperature values over a period of time. In one example, the processing module 230-a may determine an average temperature value each minute by summing all temperature values collected over the minute and dividing by the number of samples over the minute. In a specific example where the temperature is sampled at one sample per second, the average temperature may be a sum of all sampled temperatures for one minute divided by sixty seconds. The memory 215 may store the average temperature values over time. In some implementations, the memory 215 may store average temperatures (e.g., one per minute) instead of sampled temperatures in order to conserve memory 215.

[0056] The sampling rate, which may be stored in memory 215, may be configurable. In some implementations, the sampling rate may be the same throughout the day and night. In other implementations, the sampling rate may be changed throughout the day / night. In some implementations, the ring 104 may filter / reject temperature readings, such as large spikes in temperature that are not indicative of physiological changes (e.g., a temperature spike from a hot shower). In some implementations, the ring 104 may filter / reject temperature readings that may not bereliable due to other factors, such as excessive motion during exercise (e.g., as indicated by a motion sensor 245).

[0057] The ring 104 (e.g., communication module) may transmit the sampled and / or average temperature data to the user device 106 for storage and / or further processing. The user device 106 may transfer the sampled and / or average temperature data to the server 110 for storage and / or further processing.

[0058] Although the ring 104 is illustrated as including a single temperature sensor 240, the ring 104 may include multiple temperature sensors 240 in one or more locations, such as arranged along the inner housing 205-a near the user’s finger. In some implementations, the temperature sensors 240 may be stand-alone temperature sensors 240. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more temperature sensors 240 may be included with other components (e.g., packaged with other components), such as with the accelerometer and / or processor.

[0059] The processing module 230-a may acquire and process data from multiple temperature sensors 240 in a similar manner described with respect to a single temperature sensor 240. For example, the processing module 230 may individually sample, average, and store temperature data from each of the multiple temperature sensors 240. In other examples, the processing module 230-a may sample the sensors at different rates and average / store different values for the different sensors. In some implementations, the processing module 230-a may be configured to determine a single temperature based on the average of two or more temperatures determined by two or more temperature sensors 240 in different locations on the finger.

[0060] The temperature sensors 240 on the ring 104 may acquire distal temperatures at the user’s finger (e.g., any finger). For example, one or more temperature sensors 240 on the ring 104 may acquire a user’s temperature from the underside of a finger or at a different location on the finger. In some implementations, the ring 104 may continuously acquire distal temperature (e.g., at a sampling rate). Although distal temperature measured by a ring 104 at the finger is described herein, other devices may measure temperature at the same / different locations. In some cases, the distal temperature measured at a user’ s finger may differ from the temperature measured at a user’s wrist or other external body location. Additionally, the distal temperaturemeasured at a user’s finger (e.g., a “shell” temperature) may differ from the user’s core temperature. As such, the ring 104 may provide a useful temperature signal that may not be acquired at other internal / external locations of the body. In some cases, continuous temperature measurement at the finger may capture temperature fluctuations (e.g., small or large fluctuations) that may not be evident in core temperature. For example, continuous temperature measurement at the finger may capture minute-to-minute or hour-to-hour temperature fluctuations that provide additional insight that may not be provided by other temperature measurements elsewhere in the body.

[0061] The ring 104 may include a PPG system 235. The PPG system 235 may include one or more optical transmitters that transmit light. The PPG system 235 may also include one or more optical receivers that receive light transmitted by the one or more optical transmitters. An optical receiver may generate a signal (hereinafter “PPG” signal) that indicates an amount of light received by the optical receiver. The optical transmitters may illuminate a region of the user’s finger. The PPG signal generated by the PPG system 235 may indicate the perfusion of blood in the illuminated region. For example, the PPG signal may indicate blood volume changes in the illuminated region caused by a user’s pulse pressure. The processing module 230-a may sample the PPG signal and determine a user’s pulse waveform based on the PPG signal. The processing module 230-a may determine a variety of physiological parameters based on the user’s pulse waveform, such as a user’s respiratory rate, heart rate, HRV, oxygen saturation, and other circulatory parameters.

[0062] In some implementations, the PPG system 235 may be configured as a reflective PPG system 235 where the optical receiver(s) receive transmitted light that is reflected through the region of the user’s finger. In some implementations, the PPG system 235 may be configured as a transmissive PPG system 235 where the optical transmitter(s) and optical receiver(s) are arranged opposite to one another, such that light is transmitted directly through a portion of the user’s finger to the optical receiver(s).

[0063] The number and ratio of transmitters and receivers included in the PPG system 235 may vary. Example optical transmitters may include light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The optical transmitters may transmit light in the infrared spectrum and / or other spectrums. Example optical receivers may include, but are not limited to,photosensors, phototransistors, and photodiodes. The optical receivers may be configured to generate PPG signals in response to the wavelengths received from the optical transmitters. The location of the transmitters and receivers may vary.Additionally, a single device may include reflective and / or transmissive PPG systems 235.

[0064] The PPG system 235 illustrated in FIG. 2 may include a reflective PPG system 235 in some implementations. In these implementations, the PPG system 235 may include a centrally located optical receiver (e.g., at the bottom of the ring 104) and two optical transmitters located on each side of the optical receiver. In this implementation, the PPG system 235 (e.g., optical receiver) may generate the PPG signal based on light received from one or both of the optical transmitters. In other implementations, other placements, combinations, and / or configurations of one or more optical transmitters and / or optical receivers are contemplated.

[0065] The processing module 230-a may control one or both of the optical transmitters to transmit light while sampling the PPG signal generated by the optical receiver. In some implementations, the processing module 230-a may cause the optical transmitter with the stronger received signal to transmit light while sampling the PPG signal generated by the optical receiver. For example, the selected optical transmitter may continuously emit light while the PPG signal is sampled at a sampling rate (e.g., 250 Hz).

[0066] Sampling the PPG signal generated by the PPG system 235 may result in a pulse waveform that may be referred to as a “PPG.” The pulse waveform may indicate blood pressure vs time for multiple cardiac cycles. The pulse waveform may include peaks that indicate cardiac cycles. Additionally, the pulse waveform may include respiratory induced variations that may be used to determine respiration rate. The processing module 230-a may store the pulse waveform in memory 215 in some implementations. The processing module 230-a may process the pulse waveform as it is generated and / or from memory 215 to determine user physiological parameters described herein.

[0067] The processing module 230-a may determine the user’s heart rate based on the pulse waveform. For example, the processing module 230-a may determine heartrate (e.g., in beats per minute) based on the time between peaks in the pulse waveform. The time between peaks may be referred to as an interbeat interval (IB I). The processing module 230-a may store the determined heart rate values and IBI values in memory 215.

[0068] The processing module 230-a may determine HRV over time. For example, the processing module 230-a may determine HRV based on the variation in the IBIs. The processing module 230-a may store the HRV values over time in the memory 215. Moreover, the processing module 230-a may determine the user’s respiratory rate over time. For example, the processing module 230-a may determine respiratory rate based on frequency modulation, amplitude modulation, or baseline modulation of the user’s IBI values over a period of time. Respiratory rate may be calculated in breaths per minute or as another breathing rate (e.g., breaths per 30 seconds). The processing module 230-a may store user respiratory rate values over time in the memory 215.

[0069] The ring 104 may include one or more motion sensors 245, such as one or more accelerometers (e.g., 6-D accelerometers) and / or one or more gyroscopes (gyros). The motion sensors 245 may generate motion signals that indicate motion of the sensors. For example, the ring 104 may include one or more accelerometers that generate acceleration signals that indicate acceleration of the accelerometers. As another example, the ring 104 may include one or more gyro sensors that generate gyro signals that indicate angular motion (e.g., angular velocity) and / or changes in orientation. The motion sensors 245 may be included in one or more sensor packages. An example accelerometer / gyro sensor is a Bosch BM1160 inertial micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensor that may measure angular rates and accelerations in three perpendicular axes.

[0070] The processing module 230-a may sample the motion signals at a sampling rate (e.g., 50Hz) and determine the motion of the ring 104 based on the sampled motion signals. For example, the processing module 230-a may sample acceleration signals to determine acceleration of the ring 104. As another example, the processing module 230- a may sample a gyro signal to determine angular motion. In some implementations, the processing module 230-a may store motion data in memory 215. Motion data may include sampled motion data as well as motion data that is calculated based on the sampled motion signals (e.g., acceleration and angular values).

[0071] The ring 104 may store a variety of data described herein. For example, the ring 104 may store temperature data, such as raw sampled temperature data and calculated temperature data (e.g., average temperatures). As another example, the ring 104 may store PPG signal data, such as pulse waveforms and data calculated based on the pulse waveforms (e.g., heart rate values, IBI values, HRV values, and respiratory rate values). The ring 104 may also store motion data, such as sampled motion data that indicates linear and angular motion.

[0072] The ring 104, or other computing device, may calculate and store additional values based on the sampled / calculated physiological data. For example, the processing module 230 may calculate and store various metrics, such as sleep metrics (e.g., a Sleep Score), activity metrics, and readiness metrics. In some implementations, additional values / metrics may be referred to as “derived values.” The ring 104, or other computing / wearable device, may calculate a variety of values / metrics with respect to motion. Example derived values for motion data may include, but are not limited to, motion count values, regularity values, intensity values, metabolic equivalence of task values (METs), and orientation values. Motion counts, regularity values, intensity values, and METs may indicate an amount of user motion (e.g., velocity / accel eration) over time. Orientation values may indicate how the ring 104 is oriented on the user’s finger and if the ring 104 is worn on the left hand or right hand.

[0073] In some implementations, motion counts and regularity values may be determined by counting a number of acceleration peaks within one or more periods of time (e.g., one or more 30 second to 1 minute periods). Intensity values may indicate a number of movements and the associated intensity (e.g., acceleration values) of the movements. The intensity values may be categorized as low, medium, and high, depending on associated threshold acceleration values. METs may be determined based on the intensity of movements during a period of time (e.g., 30 seconds), the regularity / irregularity of the movements, and the number of movements associated with the different intensities.

[0074] In some implementations, the processing module 230-a may compress the data stored in memory 215. For example, the processing module 230-a may delete sampled data after making calculations based on the sampled data. As another example, the processing module 230-a may average data over longer periods of time in order toreduce the number of stored values. In a specific example, if average temperatures for a user over one minute are stored in memory 215, the processing module 230-a may calculate average temperatures over a five minute time period for storage, and then subsequently erase the one minute average temperature data. The processing module 230-a may compress data based on a variety of factors, such as the total amount of used / available memory 215 and / or an elapsed time since the ring 104 last transmitted the data to the user device 106.

[0075] Although a user’s physiological parameters may be measured by sensors included on a ring 104, other devices may measure a user’s physiological parameters. For example, although a user’ s temperature may be measured by a temperature sensor 240 included in a ring 104, other devices may measure a user’s temperature. In some examples, other wearable devices (e.g., wrist devices) may include sensors that measure user physiological parameters. Additionally, medical devices, such as external medical devices (e.g., wearable medical devices) and / or implantable medical devices, may measure a user’s physiological parameters. One or more sensors on any type of computing device may be used to implement the techniques described herein.

[0076] The physiological measurements may be taken continuously throughout the day and / or night. In some implementations, the physiological measurements may be taken during portions of the day and / or portions of the night. In some implementations, the physiological measurements may be taken in response to determining that the user is in a specific state, such as an active state, resting state, and / or a sleeping state. For example, the ring 104 can make physiological measurements in a resting / sleep state in order to acquire cleaner physiological signals. In one example, the ring 104 or other device / system may detect when a user is resting and / or sleeping and acquire physiological parameters (e.g., temperature) for that detected state. The devices / sy stems may use the resting / sleep physiological data and / or other data when the user is in other states in order to implement the techniques of the present disclosure.

[0077] In some implementations, as described previously herein, the ring 104 may be configured to collect, store, and / or process data, and may transfer any of the data described herein to the user device 106 for storage and / or processing. In some aspects, the user device 106 includes a wearable application 250, an operating system (OS) 285, a web browser application (e.g., web browser 280), one or more additional applications,and a GUI 275. The user device 106 may further include other modules and components, including sensors, audio devices, haptic feedback devices, and the like. The wearable application 250 may include an example of an application (e.g., “app”) that may be installed on the user device 106. The wearable application 250 may be configured to acquire data from the ring 104, store the acquired data, and process the acquired data as described herein. For example, the wearable application 250 may include a user interface (UI) module 255, an acquisition module 260, a processing module 230-b, a communication module 220-b, and a storage module (e.g., database 265) configured to store application data.

[0078] In some cases, the wearable device 104 and the user device 106 may be included within (or make up) the same device. For example, in some cases, the wearable device 104 may be configured to execute the wearable application 250, and may be configured to display data via the GUI 275.

[0079] The various data processing operations described herein may be performed by the ring 104, the user device 106, the servers 110, or any combination thereof. For example, in some cases, data collected by the ring 104 may be pre-processed and transmitted to the user device 106. In this example, the user device 106 may perform some data processing operations on the received data, may transmit the data to the servers 110 for data processing, or both. For instance, in some cases, the user device 106 may perform processing operations that require relatively low processing power and / or operations that require a relatively low latency, whereas the user device 106 may transmit the data to the servers 110 for processing operations that require relatively high processing power and / or operations that may allow relatively higher latency.

[0080] In some aspects, the ring 104, user device 106, and server 110 of the system 200 may be configured to evaluate sleep patterns for a user. In particular, the respective components of the system 200 may be used to collect data from a user via the ring 104, and generate one or more scores (e.g., Sleep Score, Readiness Score) for the user based on the collected data. For example, as noted previously herein, the ring 104 of the system 200 may be worn by a user to collect data from the user, including temperature, heart rate, HRV, and the like. Data collected by the ring 104 may be used to determine when the user is asleep in order to evaluate the user’s sleep for a given “sleep day.” In some aspects, scores may be calculated for the user for each respective sleep day, suchthat a first sleep day is associated with a first set of scores, and a second sleep day is associated with a second set of scores. Scores may be calculated for each respective sleep day based on data collected by the ring 104 during the respective sleep day. Scores may include, but are not limited to, Sleep Scores, Readiness Scores, and the like.

[0081] In some cases, “sleep days” may align with the traditional calendar days, such that a given sleep day runs from midnight to midnight of the respective calendar day. In other cases, sleep days may be offset relative to calendar days. For example, sleep days may run from 6:00 pm (18:00) of a calendar day until 6:00 pm (18:00) of the subsequent calendar day. In this example, 6:00 pm may serve as a “cut-off time,” where data collected from the user before 6:00 pm is counted for the current sleep day, and data collected from the user after 6:00 pm is counted for the subsequent sleep day. Due to the fact that most individuals sleep the most at night, offsetting sleep days relative to calendar days may enable the system 200 to evaluate sleep patterns for users in such a manner that is consistent with their sleep schedules. In some cases, users may be able to selectively adjust (e.g., via the GUI) a timing of sleep days relative to calendar days so that the sleep days are aligned with the duration of time that the respective users typically sleep.

[0082] In some implementations, each overall score for a user for each respective day (e.g., Sleep Score, Readiness Score) may be determined / calculated based on one or more “contributors,” “factors,” or “contributing factors.” For example, a user’s overall Sleep Score may be calculated based on a set of contributors, including: total sleep, efficiency, restfulness, REM sleep, deep sleep, latency, timing, or any combination thereof. The Sleep Score may include any quantity of contributors. The “total sleep” contributor may refer to the sum of all sleep periods of the sleep day. The “efficiency” contributor may reflect the percentage of time spent asleep compared to time spent awake while in bed, and may be calculated using the efficiency average of long sleep periods (e.g., primary sleep period) of the sleep day, weighted by a duration of each sleep period. The “restfulness” contributor may indicate how restful the user’s sleep is, and may be calculated using the average of all sleep periods of the sleep day, weighted by a duration of each period. The restfulness contributor may be based on a “wake up count” (e.g., sum of all the wake-ups (when user wakes up) detected during differentsleep periods), excessive movement, and a “got up count” (e.g., sum of all the got-ups (when user gets out of bed) detected during the different sleep periods).

[0083] The “REM sleep” contributor may refer to a sum total of REM sleep durations across all sleep periods of the sleep day including REM sleep. Similarly, the “deep sleep” contributor may refer to a sum total of deep sleep durations across all sleep periods of the sleep day including deep sleep. The “latency” contributor may signify how long (e.g., average, median, longest) the user takes to go to sleep, and may be calculated using the average of long sleep periods throughout the sleep day, weighted by a duration of each period and the number of such periods (e.g., consolidation of a given sleep stage or sleep stages may be its own contributor or weight other contributors). Lastly, the “timing” contributor may refer to a relative timing of sleep periods within the sleep day and / or calendar day, and may be calculated using the average of all sleep periods of the sleep day, weighted by a duration of each period.

[0084] By way of another example, a user’s overall Readiness Score may be calculated based on a set of contributors, including: sleep, sleep balance, heart rate, HRV balance, recovery index, temperature, activity, activity balance, or any combination thereof. The Readiness Score may include any quantity of contributors. The “sleep” contributor may refer to the combined Sleep Score of all sleep periods within the sleep day. The “sleep balance” contributor may refer to a cumulative duration of all sleep periods within the sleep day. In particular, sleep balance may indicate to a user whether the sleep that the user has been getting over some duration of time (e.g., the past two weeks) is in balance with the user’s needs. Typically, adults need 7-9 hours of sleep a night to stay healthy, alert, and to perform at their best both mentally and physically. However, it is normal to have an occasional night of bad sleep, so the sleep balance contributor takes into account long-term sleep patterns to determine whether each user’s sleep needs are being met. The “resting heart rate” contributor may indicate a lowest heart rate from the longest sleep period of the sleep day (e.g., primary sleep period) and / or the lowest heart rate from naps occurring after the primary sleep period.

[0085] Continuing with reference to the “contributors” (e.g., factors, contributing factors) of the Readiness Score, the “HRV balance” contributor may indicate a highest HRV average from the primary sleep period and the naps happening after the primary sleep period. The HRV balance contributor may help users keep track of their recoverystatus by comparing their HRV trend over a first time period (e.g., two weeks) to an average HRV over some second, longer time period (e.g., three months). The “recovery index” contributor may be calculated based on the longest sleep period. Recovery index measures how long it takes for a user’s resting heart rate to stabilize during the night. A sign of a very good recovery is that the user’s resting heart rate stabilizes during the first half of the night, at least six hours before the user wakes up, leaving the body time to recover for the next day. The “body temperature” contributor may be calculated based on the longest sleep period (e.g., primary sleep period) or based on a nap happening after the longest sleep period if the user’s highest temperature during the nap is at least 0.5°C higher than the highest temperature during the longest period. In some aspects, the ring may measure a user’s body temperature while the user is asleep, and the system 200 may display the user’s average temperature relative to the user’s baseline temperature. If a user’s body temperature is outside of their normal range (e.g., clearly above or below 0.0), the body temperature contributor may be highlighted (e.g., go to a “Pay attention” state) or otherwise generate an alert for the user.

[0086] In some aspects, the system 200 may support a ring 104 including a segment made of (e.g., or coated with) a material configured to enhance a signal quality associated with optical signals (e.g., light) collected (e.g., transmitted and received) via the PPG system 235. For example, the inner housing 205-a, the outer housing 205-b, or both, of the ring 104 may include a first layer of a first material. Additionally, the inner housing 205-a may include a first portion of the inner housing 205-a including a second layer of a second material and may include a second portion of the inner housing 205-a without the second layer of the second material, where the second portion defines the segment and may be located relative to the PPG system 235. In some cases, the segment of the inner housing 205-a may be formed (e.g., without the second layer) by applying a mask to the second portion of the inner housing 205-a corresponding to the segment during application (e.g., coating) of the second material to the inner housing 205-a (e.g., and the outer housing 205-b). In some other cases, the segment of the inner housing 205-a may be formed by applying the second material to the inner housing 205-a (e.g., and the outer housing 205-b) and removing (e.g., etching, cutting, grinding) the second material from the second portion of the inner housing 205-a corresponding to the segment.

[0087] In some examples, the first material may be polished in the second portion of the inner housing 205-a (e.g., corresponding to the segment) to increase a reflectance of the first material (e.g., relative to an unpolished version of the first material, relative to the second material). Additionally, or alternatively, the second portion of the inner housing 205-a (e.g., corresponding to the segment) may include an additional coating (e.g., a second layer of a third material) that may be associated with one or more properties to further enhance the optical signals. For example, the additional coating may be associated with selective color filtering of the optical signals (e.g., light), such as a copper coating or a dielectric coating.

[0088] Accordingly, the segment that may improve a signal quality of optical signals transmitted and received by the PPG system 235, and thus improve a quality of the physiological measurements collected from users 102. Additionally, or alternatively, by increasing the reflectivity of the segment (e.g., around the PPG system 235, relative to the rest of the inner housing 205-a), power consumption of the PPG system 235 may be reduced while achieving a same or greater signal strength of the optical signals (e.g., as compared to a decreased reflectivity).

[0089] FIGs. 3A and 3B show an example of a wearable device diagram 300 that supports an inlet design for improved signal quality in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The wearable device diagram 300 shows an example of a wearable device 104 including a segment 305-b that may improve the optical signal quality of one or more optical signals, as described herein.

[0090] The wearable device 104 (e.g., ring 104) may include an outer housing 315 defining an outer circumference of the wearable device 104. The wearable device 104 may additionally include an inner housing 310 coupled with the outer housing 315, where the inner housing 310 may define an inner circumference (e.g., surface) of the wearable device 104. In some examples, the inner housing 310 may include a segment 305-a that extends radially around a first portion of the inner housing 310 (e.g., a first portion of the inner circumference of the inner housing 310) and the segment 305-b that extends radially around a second (e.g., remaining) portion of the inner housing 310 (e.g., a second portion of the inner circumference of the inner housing 310). In such cases, the segment 305-b may be positioned within the inner housing 310 based on a position of one or more optoelectronic components (e.g., LEDs, photodetectors). In suchcases, the one or more optoelectronic components may include any combination of light emitters (e.g., LEDs, Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs), Resonance Cavity -LEDs (RC-LEDs), Laser Diodes (LDs)), light detectors (e.g., PDs), or both.

[0091] For example, the one or more optoelectronic components may be positioned at least partially between the inner housing 310 and the outer housing 315 at one or more first positions. In such cases, the one or more first positions may correspond to (e.g., align with, are relative to) one or more second positions of one or more apertures 320 at least partially within the inner housing 310, such that the one or more optoelectronic components may propagate (e.g., transmit, receive) the one or more optical signals through the inner housing 310 via the one or more apertures 320 (e.g., through tissue of a user 102). As such, the segment 305-b of the inner housing 310 may be positioned such that the segment 305-b surrounds (e.g., is positioned around, includes) the one or more apertures 320. In some cases, a threshold distance (e.g., radially or laterally) that the segment 305-b extends around each of the one or more apertures 320 may be based on one or more optical paths of the one or more optical signals communicated by the one or more optoelectronic components, as described further with reference to FIG. 4. In some cases, as depicted in FIG. 3 A, the segment 305-b may be a single, continuous segment that extends around each of the one or more apertures 320. Alternatively, as depicted in FIG. 3B, the segment 305-b may include multiple portions (e.g., sub-segments), where each portion extends around one or more respective apertures 320. For example, as depicted in FIG. 3B, a first portion of the segment 305-b may extend around a first set of apertures 320 and a second portion of the segment 305-b may extend around a second set of apertures 320 (e.g., a portion of the segment 305-a is between the first portion of the segment 305-b and the second portion of the segment 305-b).

[0092] In some examples, the segment 305-a of the inner housing 310 may be composed of at least a first material (e.g., a polymer material, a metallic material), where the first material may be associated with a first reflectance (e.g., one or more first properties). In some examples, the first material may be the same as a material (e.g., coating) of the outer housing 315. That is, the first material may cover the outer housing 315 and the first portion of the inner housing 310 (e.g., corresponding to the segment 305-a). In such cases, the first material may be selected from a set of materials (e.g.,finishes) that may be associated with a plurality of colors (e.g., rose gold, gold, titanium, silver, black), supporting customizability of the wearable devices 104 (e.g., the user 102 may select the wearable device 104 based on a color of the wearable device 104). In some cases, as described previously, each material of the set of materials may be associated with one or more respective properties that may affect one or more characteristics of the one or more optical signals differently. For example, each material of the set of materials may be associated with a different reflectance or may absorb or reflect different wavelengths of light.

[0093] Additionally, the segment 305-b of the inner housing 310 may be composed of at least a second material (e.g., a metallic material, such as titanium, steel, and aluminum), where the second material may be associated with a second reflectance (e.g., one or more second properties) different (e.g., greater or lower) than the first reflectance of the first material of the segment 305-a. That is, the second reflectance of the second material of the segment 305-b may improve one or more characteristics of the one or more optical signals transmitted by the optoelectronic components (e.g., relative to the first reflectance of the first material). For example, the one or more optical signals propagated (e.g., communicated) by the one or more optoelectronic components may be associated with increased signal strength (e.g., increased signal quantity), increased signal quality, decreased power consumption, or any combination thereof.

[0094] In some examples, the second material of the segment 305-b may be common (e.g., the same) between different wearable devices 104, such that the different wearable devices 104 may support common measurements for the optoelectronic components between the different wearable devices 104. That is, regardless of a color (e.g., from the plurality of colors) of the segment 305-a (e.g., and the outer housing 315) or a material (e.g., from the set of materials) of the segment 305-a, a wearable device 104 may have the segment 305-b of the second material. Thus, a calibration operation for the one or more optoelectronic sensors may be common between wearable devices 104, and may be based on the second material, the second reflectance of the second material, or both. In some other examples, the second material of the segment 305-b may be different between different wearable devices 104. In such cases, the secondmaterial of the segment 305-b may be based on the color of the segment 305-b, a color of the outer housing 315, or both.

[0095] In some cases, the second material of the segment 305-b may be the same as a third material forming a first, or base, layer of the inner housing 310. That is, the inner housing 310 may include a base layer of a third material (e.g., a titanium base layer), which may extend radially around the inner circumference (e.g., both the segment 305-a and the segment 305-b may include the base layer made of the third material). Additionally, the first material of the segment 305-a may be deposited (e.g., applied, coated) on top of the base layer in both the segment 305-a and the segment 305-b to form a second layer. However, the second layer may be removed from the segment 305- b to expose the base layer of the third material in the segment 305-b, such that the second material of the segment 305-b is the third material of the first layer. In some cases, the second layer may be removed from the segment 305-b by cutting away (e.g., diamond cutting, grinding, etching) the second layer from the segment 305-b to expose the base layer of the third material in the segment 305-b. In some other cases, the second layer may be removed from the segment 305-b by applying a mask to (e.g., masking) the segment 305-b prior to deposition of the second layer (e.g., the first material) on top of the base layer and removing the mask after deposition of the second layer, where removing the mask removes the second layer from the segment 305-b, exposing the base layer of the third material in the segment 305-b.

[0096] In some cases, the third material (e.g., base layer) may be polished in the segment 305-b. That is, the second material of the segment 305-b may be a polished form of the third material. In some other cases (e.g., not depicted), the second material of the segment 305-b may be an additional layer of the second material applied (e.g., deposited, coated) over the base layer of the inner housing 310. In such cases, the second material may be associated with one or more additional properties (e.g., besides the second reflectance) to further enhance one or more characteristics of the one or more optical signals. For example, the second material of the segment 305-b may support spectral filtering (e.g., color filtering) of the one or more optical signals. That is, the second material of the segment 305-b may enhance one or more first wavelengths of the one or more optical signals (e.g., red wavelengths, infrared wavelengths), while blocking one or more second wavelengths (e.g., green wavelengths, blue wavelengths,wavelengths associated with ambient light). For example, the second material may include a copper coating, a diffractive structure coating, or a dielectric coating. As such, the one or more optoelectronic components may be configured to selectively detect the one or more first wavelengths of light, which may improve measurements collected from the user 102 (e.g., SpO2 measurements or other physiological measurements based on light spectrum). Additionally, or alternatively, the second material of the segment 305-b may enable the blocking of ambient light originating from outside the wearable device 104 or stray light originating from within the wearable device 104.

[0097] In some other cases (e.g., not depicted), the inner housing 310 may not include a base layer common to the segment 305-a and the segment 305-b. That is, the first material of the segment 305-a may be a non-metal material (e.g., polymer material) and the second material of the segment 305-b may be a metal material, such that the segment 305-b may be attached to (e.g., coupled to) the segment 305-a as a separate piece (e.g., component) rather than as a coating. For example, the segment 305-b may extend radially around the inner circumference of the inner housing 310 and the segment 305-a may have a cavity (e.g., opening) where the segment 305-b may be inserted (e.g., inset).

[0098] In some examples (e.g., not depicted), the segment 305-b may include multiple sub-segments associated with different properties. That is, the segment 305-b may be made of more than one material. For example, a silver coating (e.g., silver material) may be associated with improved signal quality for green light (e.g., used on short measurement paths) but a rose gold coating (e.g., rose gold material) may be associated with improved signal quality for red or infra-red light (e.g., used on long measurement paths). Thus, a first portion of the segment 305-b positioned around one or more apertures 320 associated with one or more light emitting components (e.g., LEDs) may be made of the silver coating and a second portion of the segment 305-b (e.g., the rest of the segment 305-b) may be made of the rose gold coating (e.g., each of the one or more apertures 320 associated with the one or more light emitting components may be surrounded by a 1 mm wide collar made of the silver coating).

[0099] Additionally, or alternatively, in some examples (e.g., not depicted), the wearable device 104 may include multiple (e.g., more than one) segments 305-b. That is, the wearable device 104 may have a separate segment 305-b positioned around eachaperture 320 (e.g., each optoelectronic component). For example, the one or more apertures 320 may be radially distanced from each other such that each aperture 320 of the one or more apertures 320 may be surrounded by a separate segment 305-b and a portion of the segment 305-a may be present between each segment 305-b surrounding each aperture 320. In some cases, a material (e.g., color, finish, polish, etc.) of each segment 305-b of the multiple segments 305-b may be the same. In some other cases, a material of at least one segment 305-b of the multiple segments 305-b may be different or may be associated with a different set of properties.

[0100] Accordingly, by including the segment 305-b made of the second material associated with the second reflectance, the one or more optoelectronic components may acquire physiological data from the user 102 based on the one or more optical signals reflecting off of the segment 305-b, which may improve signal strength, signal quality, signal quantity, color selectivity, power consumption, or any combination thereof.

[0101] Though described in the context of different materials, this is not to be regarded as a limitation of the present disclosure. In this regard, the phrase “different materials” may refer to any difference in properties, characteristics, or both, between materials including, but not limited to, a different composition, a different color, a different finish, a different reflectance, a different texture, or any combination thereof. For example, an un-polished form of a given material may be considered a different material than a polished form of the same material. Similarly, the term “color” may refer to a color, a brightness, a reflectance, a luminance, or the like thereof.

[0102] FIG. 4 shows an example of a wearable device diagram 400 that supports inlet design for improved signal quality in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The wearable device diagram 400 illustrates an example of a wearable device 104 (e.g., a ring 104) including a segment 305-b configured to improve optical signal quality, as described herein.

[0103] The wearable device 104, depicted in the wearable device diagram 400, may include an inner housing 310 and an outer housing 315, where one or more optoelectronic components, such as one or more transmitters 405, one or more detectors 410, or both, may be positioned between the inner housing 310 and the outer housing 315. As described previously, the inner housing 310 may include a segment 305-aspanning (e.g., defining) a first portion of the inner housing 310 and a segment 305-b spanning a second portion of the inner housing 310. In such cases, the segment 305-b may include one or more apertures 320 for the one or more optoelectronic components. That is, the one or more apertures 320 may enable the one or more transmitters 405 to transmit one or more optical signals out of the wearable device 104, through tissue (e.g., skin) of a user 102, and back into the wearable device 104 for reception by the one or more detectors 410. In other words, a position of the one or more apertures 320 may be based on a position of the one or more optoelectronic components (e.g., or visa-versa). In some cases, the one or more apertures 320 may include shielding elements that cover the one or more optoelectronic components. For example, the shielding elements may be a polymer material, glass material, ceramic material, or the like thereof, that extends over each aperture 320 that allows for propagation of the one or more optical signals, while shielding the one or more optoelectronic components and supporting a smooth surface for the inner housing 310, thereby enhancing a fitment of the wearable device for the user 102.

[0104] In some examples, at least some of the one or more optical signals transmitted by a transmitter 405 (e.g., of the one or more transmitters) may be reflected by the segment 305-b prior to being measured by a detector 410 (e.g., of the one or more detectors 410). As such, a material of the segment 305-b may be associated with one or more different properties, one or more characteristics, or both, than a material of the segment 305-a, which may improve the signal strength, signal quality, or both, of the one or more optical signals measured by the one or more detectors 410. For example, in some cases, the material of the segment 305-b may be different than the material of the segment 305-a (e.g., the material of the segment 305-b may be a more reflective material). In some other cases, the material of the segment 305-b may be the same as the material of the segment 305-a but may be associated with a different roughness (e.g., texture), a different color, or the like thereof.

[0105] As described herein, the segment 305-b may extend across a first portion of the inner housing 310 (e.g., a first portion of an inner circumference defined by the inner housing 310). In some examples, the portion of the inner housing 310 may include an area defined by the one or more optoelectronic components (e.g., the one or more apertures 320). For example, the segment 305-b may extend to or past (e.g., by athreshold amount, a threshold radial distance) the one or more apertures 320 (e.g., a position of the one or more optoelectronic components). Thus, the segment 305-a may extend across a remaining, or second, portion of the inner housing 310 (e.g., a second portion of the inner circumference defined by the inner housing 310). In some examples, the segment 305-a may be made of a same material as the outer housing 315, which may improve the aesthetics of the wearable device 104.

[0106] In some examples, to form the inner housing 310, a first, or base, layer of a first material (e.g., a titanium material, polymer material) may be formed that extends radially around the inner circumference (e.g., an entirety of the inner circumference) of the inner housing 310. Additionally, a coating may be deposited on the base layer to form the segment 305-a (e.g., in the second portion of the inner housing 310). In some examples, an area associated with the segment 305-b may be masked prior to deposition of the coating, such that the coating may be deposited (e.g., may only be deposited) on the base layer in the segment 305-a and on the mask in the segment 305-b. The mask may then be removed (e.g., via a washing operation), which may remove the coating deposited on the segment 305-b. In some other cases, the segment 305-b may not be masked, such that the coating may be deposited on the base layer in the segment 305-a and the segment 305-b (e.g., in both the first portion and the second portion of the inner housing 310). In such cases, the deposited coating may be removed from the second portion of the inner housing 310 corresponding to (e.g., to form) the segment 305-b. For example, the coating may be etched, cut, or grinded away to expose the base layer. In some examples, the base layer may be polished in the second portion of the inner housing 310 (e.g., corresponding to the segment 305-b) to form the segment 305-b having a corresponding reflectance (e.g., a threshold reflectance) configured to enhance the one or more optical signals emitted by the one or more transmitters 405 and received by the one or more detectors 410. In some other cases, the first portion of the inner housing 310 corresponding to the segment 305-a may be masked, while a different coating (e.g., of a second material) may be deposited on the base layer to form the segment 305-b. The mask may be removed (e.g., using a washing operation) after deposition of the different coating to reveal the segment 305-a.

[0107] Additionally, or alternatively, to form the inner housing 310, a first, or base, layer of the first material (e.g., a titanium material, polymer material) may be formedthat extends radially around the inner circumference (e.g., an entirety of the inner circumference) of the inner housing 310 and a first coating (e.g., a reflective coating) may be deposited on the base layer to form a second base layer of the inner housing 310. Additionally, the second portion of the inner housing corresponding to the segment 305-b may be masked, while a different coating (e.g., a second coating, a more durable coating than the first coating) may be deposited on the second base layer to form the segment 305-a. The mask may be removed (e.g., using a washing operation) after deposition of the different coating to reveal the segment 305-b.

[0108] Additionally, or alternatively, the segment 305-b may be formed by coupling a layer of a second material (e.g., a metallic material, a ceramic material) onto a portion of the inner housing 310. For example, the inner housing 310 may be formed from the first material (e.g., polymer material) extending radially around the inner circumference of the inner housing 310. The layer of the second material may be set (e.g., inset), inserted, glued, welded, attached, or otherwise coupled with the first material to form the segment 305-b. In some cases, the layer of the second material may be recessed into the inner housing 310. In some other cases, the layer of the second material may sit on top of the inner housing 310.

[0109] FIGs. 5A, 5B, and 5C shows examples of a signal strength diagrams 500-a, a signal strength diagrams 500-b, and a signal strength diagrams 500-c, respectively, that support an inlet design for improved signal quality in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The signal strength diagrams 500 illustrate the effect of various parameters to a relative signal strength of optical signals received by one or more optoelectronic components, as described herein.

[0110] The signal strength diagram 500-a illustrates a relationship between relative signal strength (e.g., of an infrared signal, of a red light signal) and optical path length inside skin tissue for various materials of an inner housing 310, including silver (e.g., polished silver, mirrored silver), satin silver (e.g., rough silver, non-polished silver, nonmirror silver), titanium (e.g., polished titanium), and black (e.g., glossy black). As shown by the signal strength diagram 500-a, the relative signal strength may decrease as optical path length increases for all materials. However, some materials may absorb more of the optical signals (e.g., light), such as black, which may lead to increased power consumption. Conversely, some other materials may reflect more light (e.g.,mirrored silver), resulting in decreased power consumption. In some cases, the rates of change of the relative signal strength may be different between different types of signals, such as infrared or red light. As such, the optoelectronic sensor systems may be calibrated differently based on the type of signal used.[OHl] The signal strength diagram 500-b illustrates a relationship between relative signal strength (e.g., as compared to bare titanium, 50% reflectance) and reflectance of materials for different types of signals, including red signals and infrared signals. As shown by the signal strength diagram 500-b, a higher reflectance for a material is associated with a higher relative signal strength. As such, materials with relatively low reflectance (e.g., black materials, 5% reflectance) may lead to higher power consumption or lower signal strengths relative to materials with relatively high reflectance (e.g., silver materials, 95% reflectance).

[0112] The signal strength diagram 500-c illustrates a relationship between relative signal strength (e.g., for red light signals) and optical path length for different materials, including silver (e.g., polished silver, non-polished silver), titanium (e.g., polished titanium), and a black material (e.g., glossy black), and for different types of optoelectronic components, including PPG signal alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) components. In some examples, the rate of change between relative signal strength and optical path length may be different between AC and DC components. Additionally, AC components may be affected more by variations in materials (e.g., than DC components). For example, relative signal strength for an AC component may drop more between use of a silver material and a black material than for a DC component.

[0113] As such, a material used to form a segment (e.g., a segment 305-b) of an inner housing located around (e.g., relative to) one or more optoelectronic components of a wearable device may be selected in accordance with these relationships. For example, the segment may be formed using a material having a relatively high reflectance, such as silver or polished titanium, which may increase signal strength and decrease power consumption. In some examples, the material may be selected based on surface roughness. For example, a higher surface roughness may decrease total reflectance, and may change a reflection pattern to a wider diffuse scattering pattern, which may decrease signal quality.

[0114] In some examples, the material used to form the segment may be based on a spectral absorptivity of the material. For example, a material with a relatively flat spectral absorptivity (e.g., and with a high reflectance), such as silver or aluminum, may be used to enhance signal quality for multiple signal types, such as red light signals and infrared signals inside a specific wavelength range. In some cases, the segment may be made of an absorptive material to support the reduction in signal disturbances due to motion artifacts. Additionally, or alternatively, the material (e.g., or a color for such material) used to form the segment based on the material selectively enhancing signal quality for some signal types, such as infrared signals and red light signals, while selectively absorbing other signal types (e.g., associated with ambient light or interference). For example, a copper coating or material may be used, which may exhibit high reflectance for red light and infrared light, while absorbing other wavelengths of light (e.g., green light, blue light). Similarly, a dielectric material or coating may be used, which may be manufactured to selectively reflect types of signals used by the optoelectronic components, while selectively absorbing other types of signals (e.g., other wavelengths of light).

[0115] FIG. 6 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 600 that supports an inlet design for improved signal quality in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of the method 600 may be implemented by or its components as described herein. For example, the operations of the method 600 may be performed by a system. In some examples, the system may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements or to perform the described functions. Additionally, or alternatively, the system may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware.

[0116] At 605, the method may include forming an inner housing defining an inner circumference of the wearable ring device, the inner housing comprising a first segment extending radially around a first portion of the inner circumference and a second segment extending radially around a second portion of the inner circumference, wherein the first segment of the inner housing comprises at least a first material associated with a first reflectance, and wherein the second segment of the inner housing comprises at least a second material associated with a second reflectance greater than the firstreflectance. The operations of 605 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein.

[0117] At 610, the method may include disposing one or more optoelectronic components at least partially within the second segment of the inner housing to enable the one or more optoelectronic components to transmit or receive one or more optical signals through one or more apertures in the second segment of the inner housing. The operations of 610 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein.

[0118] At 615, the method may include coupling an outer housing to the inner housing to form the wearable ring device, the outer housing defining an outer circumference of the wearable ring device. The operations of 615 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein.

[0119] It should be noted that the methods described above describe possible implementations, and that the operations and the steps may be rearranged or otherwise modified and that other implementations are possible. Furthermore, aspects from two or more of the methods may be combined.

[0120] A method for manufacturing a wearable ring device by an apparatus is described. The method may include forming an inner housing defining an inner circumference of the wearable ring device, the inner housing comprising a first segment extending radially around a first portion of the inner circumference and a second segment extending radially around a second portion of the inner circumference, wherein the first segment of the inner housing comprises at least a first material associated with a first reflectance, and wherein the second segment of the inner housing comprises at least a second material associated with a second reflectance different than the first reflectance, disposing one or more optoelectronic components at least partially within the second segment of the inner housing to enable the one or more optoelectronic components to transmit or receive one or more optical signals through one or more apertures in the second segment of the inner housing, and coupling an outer housing to the inner housing to form the wearable ring device, the outer housing defining an outer circumference of the wearable ring device.

[0121] An apparatus for manufacturing a wearable ring device is described. The apparatus may include one or more memories storing processor executable code, andone or more processors coupled with the one or more memories. The one or more processors may individually or collectively be operable to execute the code to cause the apparatus to form an inner housing defining an inner circumference of the wearable ring device, the inner housing comprising a first segment extending radially around a first portion of the inner circumference and a second segment extending radially around a second portion of the inner circumference, wherein the first segment of the inner housing comprises at least a first material associated with a first reflectance, and wherein the second segment of the inner housing comprises at least a second material associated with a second reflectance different than the first reflectance, dispose one or more optoelectronic components at least partially within the second segment of the inner housing to enable the one or more optoelectronic components to transmit or receive one or more optical signals through one or more apertures in the second segment of the inner housing, and couple an outer housing to the inner housing to form the wearable ring device, the outer housing defining an outer circumference of the wearable ring device.

[0122] Another apparatus for manufacturing a wearable ring device is described. The apparatus may include means for forming an inner housing defining an inner circumference of the wearable ring device, the inner housing comprising a first segment extending radially around a first portion of the inner circumference and a second segment extending radially around a second portion of the inner circumference, wherein the first segment of the inner housing comprises at least a first material associated with a first reflectance, and wherein the second segment of the inner housing comprises at least a second material associated with a second reflectance different than the first reflectance, means for disposing one or more optoelectronic components at least partially within the second segment of the inner housing to enable the one or more optoelectronic components to transmit or receive one or more optical signals through one or more apertures in the second segment of the inner housing, and means for coupling an outer housing to the inner housing to form the wearable ring device, the outer housing defining an outer circumference of the wearable ring device.

[0123] A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for manufacturing a wearable ring device is described. The code may include instructions executable by one or more processors to form an inner housing defining an inner circumference of thewearable ring device, the inner housing comprising a first segment extending radially around a first portion of the inner circumference and a second segment extending radially around a second portion of the inner circumference, wherein the first segment of the inner housing comprises at least a first material associated with a first reflectance, and wherein the second segment of the inner housing comprises at least a second material associated with a second reflectance different than the first reflectance, dispose one or more optoelectronic components at least partially within the second segment of the inner housing to enable the one or more optoelectronic components to transmit or receive one or more optical signals through one or more apertures in the second segment of the inner housing, and couple an outer housing to the inner housing to form the wearable ring device, the outer housing defining an outer circumference of the wearable ring device.

[0124] In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer- readable medium described herein, forming the inner housing may include operations, features, means, or instructions for forming a first layer comprising a third material, the third material extending radially around the first portion of the inner circumference corresponding to the first segment and around the second portion of the inner circumference corresponding to the second segment, depositing a coating over the first layer, the coating comprising the first material, and removing the coating the first layer in the second portion of the inner circumference to form the second segment of the inner housing.

[0125] In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer- readable medium described herein, removing the coating from the first layer in the second portion of the inner circumference may include operations, features, means, or instructions for cutting the coating from the first layer in the second portion of the inner circumference corresponding to the second segment.

[0126] In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer- readable medium described herein, forming the inner housing may include operations, features, means, or instructions for applying a mask to the first layer in the second portion of the inner circumference corresponding to the second segment prior to depositing the coating and removing the mask from the first layer after depositing thecoating, wherein removing the coating from the first layer in the second portion of the inner circumference may be based at least in part on removing the mask.

[0127] In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer- readable medium described herein, forming the inner housing may include operations, features, means, or instructions for polishing the first layer in the second portion of the inner circumference to form the second segment of the inner housing, wherein the second material of the second segment comprises the third material after the polishing, and wherein the second reflectance may be based at least in part on the polishing.

[0128] In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer- readable medium described herein, forming the inner housing may include operations, features, means, or instructions for depositing a second coating over the first layer in the second portion of the inner circumference to form the second segment of the inner housing, wherein the second coating comprises the second material.

[0129] In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer- readable medium described herein, forming the inner housing may include operations, features, means, or instructions for forming a first layer comprising the first material, the first material extending radially around the first portion of the inner circumference corresponding to the first segment and the second portion of the inner circumference corresponding to the second segment and coupling a second layer to the first layer in the second portion of the inner circumference to form the second segment of the inner housing.

[0130] In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer- readable medium described herein, the second material comprises a metallic material and the first material comprises a non-metallic material, a polymer material, or a combination thereof.

[0131] Some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer- readable medium described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for coupling the second layer to the first layer may be based at least on setting the second layer into the first layer.

[0132] An apparatus device is described. The apparatus may include an outer housing defining an outer circumference of a wearable ring device, an inner housing coupled to the outer housing, defining an inner circumference of the wearable ring device, the inner housing comprising, a first segment extending radially around a first portion of the inner circumference, the first segment of the inner housing comprising at least a first material associated with a first reflectance, a second segment extending radially around a second portion of the inner circumference, the second segment of the inner housing comprising at least a second material associated with a second reflectance different than the first reflectance, wherein a position of the second segment within the inner housing is based at least in part on a position of one or more optoelectronic components relative to the inner housing, one or more apertures in the second segment of the inner housing, the one or more apertures configured to enable propagation of one or more optical signals through the inner housing, wherein one or more characteristics of the one or more optical signals is based at least in part on the second reflectance, and the one or more optoelectronic components positioned between the outer housing and the inner housing and configured to acquire physiological data from a user based at least in part on the one or more optical signals, wherein the one or more optoelectronic components are positioned at least partially within the second segment of the inner housing to enable the one or more optoelectronic components to transmit or receive the one or more optical signals through the one or more apertures in in the second segment of the inner housing.

[0133] In some examples of the apparatus, the inner housing further comprises a first layer comprising a third material, the first layer extending radially around the first portion of the inner circumference corresponding to the first segment and around the second portion of the inner circumference corresponding to the second segment and a second layer coating the first layer in the first portion of the inner circumference corresponding to the first segment, the second layer comprising the first material.

[0134] In some examples of the apparatus, the second material of the second segment comprises the third material after a polishing operation and the second reflectance may be based at least in part on the polishing operation. In some examples of the apparatus, inner housing further comprises a third layer coating the first layer inthe second portion of the inner circumference corresponding to the second segment, the third layer comprising the second material.

[0135] In some examples of the apparatus, the third material may be associated with one or more properties further associated with color filtering of the one or more optical signals. In some examples of the apparatus, the third material may be a copper coating or a dielectric coating.

[0136] In some examples of the apparatus, the inner housing further comprises a first layer comprising the first material, the first layer extending radially around the first portion of the inner circumference corresponding to the first segment and around the second portion of the inner circumference corresponding to the second segment and a second layer coupled with the first layer in the second portion of the inner circumference corresponding to the second segment, the second layer comprising the second material.

[0137] In some examples of the apparatus, the first material comprises a non- metallic material, a polymer material, or a combination thereof and the second material comprises a metallic material. In some examples of the apparatus, the second layer may be inset into the first layer.

[0138] In some examples of the apparatus, the one or more optoelectronic components may be configured to acquire the physiological data from the user based at least in part on the one or more optical signals in accordance with a calibration operation, the calibration operation based at least in part on the second material, the second reflectance, or both.

[0139] The description set forth herein, in connection with the appended drawings, describes example configurations and does not represent all the examples that may be implemented or that are within the scope of the claims. The term “exemplary” used herein means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration,” and not “preferred” or “advantageous over other examples.” The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing an understanding of the described techniques. These techniques, however, may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the described examples.

[0140] In the appended figures, similar components or features may have the same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If just the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label.

[0141] Information and signals described herein may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.

[0142] The various illustrative blocks and modules described in connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented or performed with a general-purpose processor, a DSP, an ASIC, an FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices (e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration).

[0143] The functions described herein may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Other examples and implementations are within the scope of the disclosure and appended claims. For example, due to the nature of software, functions described above can be implemented using software executed by a processor, hardware, firmware, hardwiring, or combinations of any of these. Features implementing functions may also be physically located at various positions, including being distributed such that portions of functions are implemented at different physical locations. Also, as used herein, including in theclaims, “or” as used in a list of items (for example, a list of items prefaced by a phrase such as “at least one of’ or “one or more of’) indicates an inclusive list such that, for example, a list of at least one of A, B, or C means A or B or C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Also, as used herein, the phrase “based on” shall not be construed as a reference to a closed set of conditions. For example, an exemplary step that is described as “based on condition A” may be based on both a condition A and a condition B without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In other words, as used herein, the phrase “based on” shall be construed in the same manner as the phrase “based at least in part on.”

[0144] Computer-readable media includes both non-transitory computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A non-transitory storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, non-transitory computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), compact disk (CD) ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transitory medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer, or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, include CD, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and Blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0145] The description herein is provided to enable a person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may beapplied to other variations without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein, but is to be accorded the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A wearable ring device, comprising: an outer housing defining an outer surface of the wearable ring device; an inner housing coupled to the outer housing, defining an inner surface of the wearable ring device, the inner housing comprising: a first segment extending radially around a first portion of the inner housing, the first segment of the inner housing comprising at least a first material associated with a first reflectance; and a second segment extending radially around a second portion of the inner housing, the second segment of the inner housing comprising at least a second material associated with a second reflectance different than the first reflectance, wherein a position of the second segment within the inner housing is based at least in part on a position of one or more optoelectronic components relative to the inner housing; one or more apertures in the second segment of the inner housing, the one or more apertures configured to enable propagation of one or more optical signals through the inner housing, wherein one or more characteristics of the one or more optical signals are based at least in part on the second reflectance; and the one or more optoelectronic components positioned at least partially between the outer housing and the inner housing and configured to acquire physiological data based at least in part on the one or more optical signals, wherein the one or more optoelectronic components are positioned at least partially within the second segment of the inner housing to enable the one or more optoelectronic components to transmit or receive the one or more optical signals through the one or more apertures in the second segment of the inner housing.

2. The wearable ring device of claim 1, wherein the inner housing further comprises: a first layer comprising a third material, the first layer extending radially around the first portion of the inner housing corresponding to the first segment and around the second portion of the inner housing corresponding to the second segment; anda second layer coating the first layer in the first portion of the inner housing corresponding to the first segment, the second layer comprising the first material.

3. The wearable ring device of claim 2, wherein: the second material of the second segment comprises the third material after a polishing operation, and the second reflectance is based at least in part on the polishing operation.

4. The wearable ring device of claim 2, wherein inner housing further comprises: a third layer coating the first layer in the second portion of the inner housing corresponding to the second segment, the third layer comprising the second material.

5. The wearable ring device of claim 4, wherein the third material is associated with one or more properties further associated with color filtering of the one or more optical signals.

6. The wearable ring device of claim 4, wherein the third material is a copper coating or a dielectric coating.

7. The wearable ring device of claim 1, wherein the inner housing further comprises: a first layer comprising the first material, the first layer extending radially around the first portion of the inner housing corresponding to the first segment and around the second portion of the inner housing corresponding to the second segment; and a second layer coupled to the first layer in the second portion of the inner housing corresponding to the second segment, the second layer comprising the second material.

8. The wearable ring device of claim 7, wherein: the first material comprises a non-metallic material, a polymer material, or a combination thereof, andthe second material comprises a metallic material.

9. The wearable ring device of claim 7, wherein the second layer is inset into the first layer.

10. The wearable ring device of claim 1, wherein the one or more optoelectronic components are configured to acquire the physiological data based at least in part on the one or more optical signals in accordance with a calibration operation, the calibration operation based at least in part on the second material, the second reflectance, or both.

11. A method for manufacturing a wearable ring device, comprising: forming an inner housing defining an inner surface of the wearable ring device, the inner housing comprising a first segment extending radially around a first portion of the inner housing and a second segment extending radially around a second portion of the inner housing, wherein the first segment of the inner housing comprises at least a first material associated with a first reflectance, and wherein the second segment of the inner housing comprises at least a second material associated with a second reflectance different than the first reflectance; disposing one or more optoelectronic components at least partially within the second segment of the inner housing to enable the one or more optoelectronic components to transmit or receive one or more optical signals through one or more apertures in the second segment of the inner housing; and coupling an outer housing to the inner housing to form the wearable ring device, the outer housing defining an outer surface of the wearable ring device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein forming the inner housing comprises: forming a first layer comprising a third material, the third material extending radially around the first portion of the inner housing corresponding to the first segment and around the second portion of the inner housing corresponding to the second segment; depositing a coating over the first layer, the coating comprising the first material; andremoving the coating of the first layer in the second portion of the inner housing to form the second segment of the inner housing.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein removing the coating from the first layer in the second portion of the inner housing comprises: cutting the coating from the first layer in the second portion of the inner housing corresponding to the second segment.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein forming the inner housing comprises: applying a mask to the first layer in the second portion of the inner housing corresponding to the second segment prior to depositing the coating; and removing the mask from the first layer after depositing the coating, wherein removing the coating from the first layer in the second portion of the inner housing is based at least in part on removing the mask.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein forming the inner housing comprises: polishing the first layer in the second portion of the inner housing to form the second segment of the inner housing, wherein the second material of the second segment comprises the third material after the polishing, and wherein the second reflectance is based at least in part on the polishing.

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